The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is taking a proactive approach to the health concerns of seasonal workers in the state, launching new bilingual resources focused on influenza A. This initiative comes in response to two reported cases of bird flu among dairy workers in the state.
The resources include information releases and a hotline that caters to individuals who may be at risk of contracting the virus. Bird flu has been seen in dairy and poultry farms across the U.S. this spring, and MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel emphasizes the importance of informing seasonal farmworkers about health issues like influenza A (H5N1).
The hotline launched in February 2023 offers support in English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole, with additional translation services available for languages other than English and Spanish. MDHHS aims to reach a wider audience by providing information and support in multiple languages, ensuring that important health resources are accessible to seasonal workers in Michigan.
This initiative underscores MDHHS’s commitment to safeguarding the health and safety of all residents, particularly those in vulnerable communities such as farmworkers. By providing bilingual resources, MDHHS is helping to protect the well-being of all residents while also promoting their accessibility to important health information.
